Twin Cities Habitat is working with financial partners on the mortgage pool that would result in below-market rate mortgages for a larger group of families with incomes of $28,000 to $68,000. The financial partners, which include financial institutions, corporations, foundations and affluent families, would get an unspecified lower-than-market long-term return on capital and the borrowers would get a below-market mortgage.

Typically, Habitat, which is supported by donations, volunteers and $2.5 million annually from the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency, doesn’t charge interest and often subsidizes purchase prices to assist families who have proved they will be good owners through financial counseling and work on their houses. They typically are not required to pay more than 30 percent of monthly income in payment. Most don’t qualify for conventional loans.

Robyn Bipes, an executive with the Greater Minnesota Housing Fund, joins Habitat this month as vice president of mortgage lending.